


A Night of Realizations

by Scarletwriter128



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Aged-Up Character(s), F/M, One Shot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-01
Updated: 2020-09-01
Packaged: 2021-03-06 23:14:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,770
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26227000
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Scarletwriter128/pseuds/Scarletwriter128
Summary: Marinette leaves in the middle of what is probably the last party where all her friends will be together. They'll all be starting university soon, which means a lot of changes. She can't help but overthink of what will happen with the friendships she's made.What she doesn't expect is for Adrien to notice her missing and find her.
Relationships: Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir/Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug
Comments: 16
Kudos: 124





	A Night of Realizations

**Author's Note:**

> Hi! It's been a while since I've posted anything for the fandom. My life is getting pretty busy now, so I don't know how often I'll be writing new stuff, but this idea came to mind a couple nights ago, so I decided to write it. I hope you enjoy!

Marinette doesn’t know how she got here.

Well, she knows how she physically got here. She left the party, avoiding Alya’s questions and concerns. As soon as she was out the door, she transformed into Ladybug and made her way to the Trocadero Fountain. She used to love to come here at night with her parents where they could see the water from the fountain reflecting the lights of the Eiffel Tower. It feels like so long ago already. She sits on the steps, wondering why her mind chose this place as her safe area to escape to. 

It’s not like she wasn’t having a good time with her friends. She was. Alix really knew how to throw a party. It’s the last one they’re going to all be together like this. She starts university classes next week. Alya is going to London in a few days with Nino. Nino is going to focus more on his music while he’s in London and work to support her while she’s in school. Adrien still won’t tell them what his plans are, but she can’t imagine him staying in Paris. If anything, he’d try his best to get away from his father, who still hasn’t let up on his overbearing ways. The rest of their classmates also have their own goals and dreams they want to achieve. Juleka is going to sign up for modeling classes while studying music. Rose is going to study interior design while working with Kitty Section. Max is going for engineering, Kim is going to be a physical trainer, and Alix is going undecided, but she’ll figure out what she wants to do. She always does. 

Nathaniel is going to art school, Marc is studying creative writing, and Chloe is going to study business while Sabrina studies engineering. She doesn’t know what Lila will be doing, neither does she care as long as she doesn’t have to see her.

She looks up at the sky, wishing it didn’t hurt so much. Nothing is ever going to be the same. She loves her friends, and she’ll miss them all. But if she’s being honest, she’ll miss Alya, Nino, and Adrien the most. They had become her lifeline in lycee. Not having them around is too weird to imagine. 

If only summer lasted for as long as she wanted it to. If only the sun refused to set until her heart learned to be away from those she holds in her heart. Then maybe, she could see herself being able to survive this new phase in her life. 

A tear rolls down her cheek, and she can’t help but laugh at how silly she’s being. Why is she crying? She should be excited! She got into her top school, she’s on her way to becoming a fashion designer, and she’s going to be able to watch her friends follow their dreams too. She should be happy for how her life is going right now. 

So why does it have to hurt so fucking much?

Tikki pops her head out of her purse. “Marinette, are you okay?”

She sniffs, wiping the tears off her face. “Yeah, Tikki, I’m fine. I guess I’m just not great at handling change.”

Tikki gives her a sympathetic look. “Marinette, you may not see your friends as much, but that doesn’t mean the friendship ends right there. They’ll always be there for you like you’ll always be for them.”

“But what if the friendships do end?” she whispers. Slightly raising her voice, she says, “What if this wasn’t just the last night before we all leave? What if this is the last night we’re all really friends?”

“Well, then, I’m really glad I managed to convince my father to let me attend,” a voice says behind her. 

She looks down at her purse, seeing that Tikki had already hidden herself from view. When she turns around, she sees that it’s Adrien, smiling, but looking a little sad, as if he had found some truth in her words as well. 

He steps closer so that he can sit down next to her. His legs brush hers as he sits down. She tries not to show how such brief contact of skin has an effect on her. It’s so annoying that after all these years, he still has a hold on her. She’s tried moving on. She’s gotten closer to him as a friend, but that only deepened her feelings for him. He was no longer on a pedestal. Instead, he was back on the ground with her. She can finally see his flaws, but that hasn’t stopped her feelings for him at all. It’s actually nice to know that he’s human despite looking like sunshine itself. 

She looks down at her knees, feeling like he’d be able to notice the tear stains on her face if she looked at him. “So, how come you left the party?”

“How come you left the party?”  
“I asked you first.”

“Ah, well, ladies first.”

She looks up at him to see him smirking. The smirk disappears once he sees that she had been crying. He frowns, lifting his hand to gently swipe her cheek. 

“Marinette, are you okay?”

She wants to lean into his touch because he still hasn’t moved his hand and she has no idea why he hasn’t, but she’s not going to risk him moving it. “I don’t know. I thought all of us being together would make me happy, but I can’t help but feel sad.”

He adjusts his hand a little, as if he’s giving her permission to lean into his touch, so she does this time. His hand stays. “I know what you mean. We were all wishing for the day we’d be independent and out in the real world. But now we’re not all going to be together all the time in this real world, and that’s…”

“Terrifying,” she whispers. She turns away, and his hand drops. She already misses its warmth, but she doesn’t feel like she can look at him when she says this next part. She hugs her knees and says, “I feel like I took those moments in lyc é e for granted. I wish I could go back and tell myself to really enjoy them because we’re not going to get those moments back. They’re just memories.”

“Yeah, but we’ll make new ones.”

She sighs. “It’ll be hard with everyone going to different places. Alya and Nino won’t even be in the country!”

“I’ll still be here,” he says, softly. 

She turns her head to face him. “You’re staying in Paris? I thought you’d want to leave the most.”

He looks down at his lap. “I have a responsibility here.”

She turns her whole body to face him now. “Adrien, it’s your life now. Your dad can’t force you to stay here just to keep modeling or take over the family business or whatever it is he wants you to do! You’re eighteen. You can make your own decisions now.”

He looks up, and Marinette can’t help but feel fourteen again, captivated by those emerald green eyes. “I know, and this is my decision. I want to stay. Maybe if I had still been homeschooled this whole time, I’d be dying to leave. But these past few years have shown me that the mansion isn’t home, but this city is. Besides, there are still some friends staying here. I couldn’t leave you. Um, you and the rest of them.” He rubs the back of his neck, and his cheeks are tainted pink. 

She can’t stop herself from blushing either. Adrien just admitted that he couldn’t leave her. Does this mean he might have some feelings for her too? Then, she remembers something Nino told Alya who had told her. That happy feeling fades a bit. “You don’t want to leave the girl you love, right?”

His eyes widen. “Wh-what? How do you ―”

She feels a little bad now. She didn’t know he didn’t want her to know. “Sorry, Alya told me. She said that Nino said you've been in love with this girl forever, but you’d never say who she is.”

He lets out a breath. “Oh. No, um, I mean, I’ll always love her, but I’ve accepted that she doesn’t feel the same way. I realized it was time to move on. She’ll always be one of my best friends, but nothing romantic is ever going to happen between us.” He looks up at the stars, and there’s a sad smile on his face. “Although, it’s just my luck that I let myself fall for another girl who doesn’t feel the same way.”

Are these girls alright? Marinette can’t believe that they can’t realize how amazing Adrien is. “Well, it’s their loss. Any girl would be lucky to have you.” 

He laughs a little. “I don’t know. But whether either of them love me or not, I want to stay in Paris. It would be nice to leave the mansion to live in a real home, though. I’ve been saving up, but I’ll need to wait a while.”

She hums. “It’s too bad Nino won’t be staying. I think you guys could’ve been perfect roommates.”

He agrees, and they sit in a comfortable silence.

The sounds of the city echo in the background. Marinette was hoping for some quiet time to herself when she left the party, but being out with Adrien as they hear the heart of Paris at night is way better. She’s so glad that she’s not such a nervous wreck around him anymore. Being able to hold a conversation with him really helped their friendship grow. She doesn’t think she could sit like this with him back when they first became friends. She would’ve been constantly wondering what he was thinking about and stressing out about making a fool of herself. Now, she feels relaxed as she talks with the boy who still has her heart. Her feelings have changed from a swirling hurricane to a calm wave that can’t help but beat persistently against the shore. 

Adrien breaks the silence first. “So, I know that you’re not liking all this change, but you’re still excited about ESMOD, right?”

Her eyes light up as she starts talking about the school of her dreams. He’s a great listener, chiming in when necessary but also letting her really rant about her passion. She’s always loved that about him. It’s like he knows what it’s like to not be heard, so he never wants anyone else to feel that way. He wants everyone to feel like they matter. 

“So, it’s definitely going to be a lot of work, but totally worth it. Alya has already promised to FaceTime me so that we can have virtual study dates.” Mentioning her best friend reminds her of how she’s leaving soon. Her mood deflates a bit. “I can’t imagine what life will be like with her gone. I’ve changed so much thanks to her.”

Adrien looks at her, then down, and up again, as if he’s contemplating something. Finally, he wraps an arm around her shoulder and brings her close. Her dress doesn’t cover her shoulders, so she feels his warm hand against her bare skin. She shivers a little, and she’s sure that he probably thinks she’s cold. At least, she hopes he thinks that. 

“Um, is this okay?” he asks, nervously. She’s a little surprised that he seems so nervous. As they’ve gotten closer, he’s gotten more touchy with her. He loves giving her hugs goodbye and laying his head on her lap when they play video games. Although, maybe he feels how different his touch is now. Maybe he senses the effect it has on her, and maybe, just maybe, it has an effect on him too. 

Except he’s in love with someone else, so it can’t be true.

She nods, and, feeling a little bold, snuggles into him. He lets out a little sigh that sounds like relief. “Marinette, I’ve seen you grow these past few years. It wasn’t just Alya. You chose how the people around you and the experiences you’ve had dictate who you became. You’re going to keep growing, and I know that every time we meet, you’re going to somehow become even more amazing than the last time I saw you.”

Marinette feels the tears well up in her eyes. This is really the second time she’s crying tonight, but it’s because of Adrien’s sweet words that she can’t help but feel grateful for. She can’t help but feel grateful for him being here with her. It’s as if he knew when she needed a friend. She whispers, “Thank you.” 

He tightens his hold on her a bit, as if he doesn’t want to let go just yet. “I’m just stating facts.”

They stay like that for a while. She feels his heart beat, and she can’t help but wonder who this new girl is who holds his heart. 

Their little bubble is broken when her phone rings. She pulls away from him, reluctantly, and answers it, mouthing “Sorry.”

He tries to change his frown into a smile, but it doesn’t look genuine. So, he just leans back on his hands as he watches her talk on the phone. 

“Hey, Alya,” Marinette says, really hoping her best friend has a good reason for calling her and interrupting them.

“Hey, girl! I thought you said you were only getting some air. Is everything okay?”

Marinette quickly checks the time, and she realizes that it’s been nearly an hour since she left the party. She can’t really blame Alya for getting worried. “Yeah, sorry. I was just thinking too much and needed to walk around. I ended up going farther than I thought.”

Alya’s tone shifts when she says, “Apparently, Adrien got worried and went after you.” Marinette doesn’t have to be there to know she’s smirking. “He never texted Nino about whether he caught up with you or not.”

She can feel her cheeks getting a little hot because she knows what Alya is thinking. “Yeah, um, he’s with me right now.”

“M, you should’ve told me! Sorry for interrupting! Just get back in like twenty minutes so that we can head to my place for the sleepover.”

Marinette nods, then remembers that Alya can’t see her. “Okay, no problem. We should probably start walking back now. See you soon.”

After hanging up, she looks back at Adrien, who isn’t hiding his frown anymore. He glances up at her and says, “So, we’re heading back?”

Oh, she should’ve asked if he wanted to come back. Maybe he wanted some time to himself or just wasn’t in the party mood anymore. “Sorry, I didn’t know you wanted to stay. It’s just that Alya’s driving us back to her house for a sleepover. Don’t worry, I can walk back by myself if you really want to stay.”

“No!” he says, then leans back. She didn’t even realize he had gotten closer. “Um, sorry. I want to be with you. I mean, walk back with you. Besides, it’s not safe for you to walk alone this late.”

That’s true. As much as she loves this city, she knows that it’s not safe for her to walk alone at night. “Okay, then, let’s go.”

He gets up first, then extends his hand to her. She takes it, and he pulls her up. She didn’t expect him to hold onto it, but he doesn’t let go. He doesn’t look like he wants to either. So, she lets her hand rest in his as the two walk back to Alix’s apartment. 

This wasn’t how she envisioned her night, but it was definitely interesting. If anything, it has made her realize three things:

She will work hard to keep her friendships, no matter how far her friends are. 

Adrien is in love with someone else. 

It’s time for her to move on and focus more on herself. 

The last one won’t be easy, but she’s determined to do it. All these years, she loved Adrien in different ways. She loved him so much she put him on a pedestal. She loved him so much she took him off that pedestal. 

Now it’s time to love him as solely one of her best friends. 

But if she had noticed how Adrien looked at her, how he held her, and how he cared for her, she would have realized that while her feelings are the waves that beat persistently, his feelings are the sun that shine brighter whenever she’s near. 


End file.
